Report and reaction
John McGinn's reaction
“I’m just devastated we’re not through. Extremely proud of the effort. Tonight we cam up against an excellent team. We were ignoring all the noise about them being an ageing team and slow. They’re an excellent team and Luka Modric is one of the best players in the world. We feel as if we didn’t do ourselves justice in the tournament but what we did do is create history by coming here. We need to learn from this experience. We need to become a nation that is used to coming to these tournaments. We need to become braver and better... This has been an experience I’ll never forget but hopefully it’s one of many in a Scotland shirt.”
Callum McGregor reflects
“The lads are shattered. They put so much energy into it ... They just had too much quality in the end. That’s what you’re up against at this level. It’s a tough lesson. My first goal for my country was a proud moment but ultimately we’re disappointed. But it’s been an amazing experience, every one of us has learned so much. It just gives you the hunger to come back again to the international stage.”
Full-time: Scotland 1-3 Croatia
Scotland’s honourable Euro campaign has reached its end. There was nothing hackneyed, cursed or ridiculous about this defeat, they were just left facing the pitiless reality that they were beaten by a better team. Nothing illustrated that point better than Croatia’s wonderful second goal, scored in sumptuous style by Modric, the player Scottish fans hope Billy Gilmour may one day become. Before that Callum McGregor scored a pearler of his own to give Scotland brief hope. Scotland even missed a couple of decent chances after that before Croatia’s superiority was eventually reflected on the scoreboard. Croatia march on, finishing second in the group. Scotland exit, crestfallen but with their pride intact.
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90 min: Modric picks out a teammate in the box with his corner. But Croatia decide not to go for a goal, instead spraying the ball all over the pitch, keeping it away from the Scots.
89 min: McKenna has done fine since he came on, despite his early yellow card. He’s made another good tackle just now to concede another corner. Here comes Modric ...
86 min: Croatia have another corner. This time Modric takes it short. Croatia try to keep the ball, which they’ve done awfully well for most of the match. But this time Scotland win it back deep in their own territory, for whatever that’s worth now.
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Scotland substitutions: Nisbet and Patterson on, Adams and O’Donnell off.
83 min: Croatia are stroking the ball about as they please now. As things stand, they’ve not only reached the Last 16, they’re going through as runners-up in the group.
81 min: McTominay jumps to meet another well delivered corner by Robertson, but the header flies over.
Croatia substitution: Rebic on, Perisic off
80 min: Fraser scurries between two before his shot is blocked. It ricochets to Adams, whose own shot is deflected behind for a corner.
GOAL! Scotland 1-3 Croatia (Perisic 77)
That’s torn it for Scotland. Modric’s outswinging corner is headed wide by McKenna, who did well to stop Lovren from steering it towards goal. Modric trots across to the other side to take the next corner, which he delivers sweetly to the near post. Perisic gets in front of Tierney and glances it into the far corner.
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Croatia substitution: Ivanusec on, Vlasic off.
76 min: Kramaric wins a corner for Croatia, who are certainly not sitting on their lead.
74 min: Fraser has a bang from 20 yards. It veers high and wide.
72 min: McTominay leads a charge from the back, then knocks a low pass into Dykes, who lays it off to Adams. McTominay continues his run into the area and Adams tries to pick him out, but the pass is slightly overhit.
Croatia substitutions: Kramaric and Brasic on, Petkovic and Gvardiol off.
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Scotland substitution: Fraser on, Armstrong off.
69 min: Robertson’s corner is met by McGinn, whose glancing header fails to reach the target. “Modric’s goal is reminiscent of Michael Essien for Chelsea against Arsenal,” reckons Thomas Gray, referring to one of the great Premier League goals. I think Essien struck his shot even harder but then he did have a run-up.
68 min: Armstrong floats the freekick in to the area, Livakovic punches it out. McGregor retrieves it and tries to replicate his first-half goal but this time his shot wafts high over.
66 min: A miscontrol by Juranovic gives Scotland a corner. Robertson loops it beyond the far post. O’Donnell is then fouled wide on the right, giving Scotland a freekick in a dangerous crossing position.
65 min: Croatia stream through midfield again. Armstrong eventually wins the ball back on the edge of his own area, but you can be sure Croatia will be back with the ball again in a moment. Or maybe not ...
62 min: The goal came at the end of a another wonderful Croatia move. When the ball was worked wide to Gvardiol on the left, he picked out Petkovic in the middle of the box. The striker killed it with on deft touch and then laid it back to Modric, who produced an outrageous finish from 20 yards, curling the ball with the outside of his right foot into the top corner. Superb.
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GOAL! Scotland 1-2 Croatia (Modric 62)
You have to say that’s magnificent.
59 min: That’s better from Scotland. A flowing move down the left concludes with a hooked cross to the back post. McGinn races in on the blindside of Gvardiol and tries to nudge it into the net from close range .... but he angles his foot all wrong and bops the ball inches wide instead! McGinn’s run was terrific but if Scotland don’t advance today, he’ll be haunted by that miss.
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58 min: Croatia are becoming increasingly dominant. Not only do they control the middle, but since half-time they had the run of the flanks, especially down the left, where Gvardiol is a growing menace.
56 min: Another confident move by Croatia. Everything was perfect until Gvardiol jutted in from the left and tried to unload a right-footed shot from the edge of the box. He didn’t catch it properly, sending the ball rolling gently towards Marshall.
55 min: Modric delivers an in-swinging corner from the left. Dykes heads powerfully clear.
53 min: Croatia try to cut through with another classy one-two. But McTominay rumbles it.
51 min: McTominay overruns the ball in midfield. Gvardiol steps in to take it and then ventures forward, rating up the ground before cutting through the Scottish defence with a snazzy one-two. But his last touch is a little heavy, and Marshall rushes out to block. Gvardiol crashes into him as he lunges for the ball. Sharp goalkeeping, but that was a serious warning for Scotland.
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49 min: McTominay spanks a freekick from right to left. Robertson receives it and tries to lay it off for a runner from midfield, but the alert Juranovic reads it and intercepts.
47 min: A steady, methodical build-up by Croatia is brought to an unceremonious end by Tierney, author of another exemplary tackle.
46 min: No personnel changes during the break. Croatia get the second period going. ...
Steve Clarke needs to find a way of disrupting Croatia’s midfield if they’re to have a better share of possession in the second half.
Half-time: Scotland 1-1 Croatia
What a rollicking end to the half that was. Croatia were starting to look comfortable, even threatening to add to the lead given to them by Vlasic’s simple opening goal. But McGregor’s spanking shot from the edge of the box - after a bright Scottish move - has made everything possible again. A draw is no use to either team: it’s all set up for a thrilling, potentially historic second half. Oof!
45+1 min: Croatia need half-time, Scotland are suddenly close to rampant!
44 min: Livakovic hurries off his line to punch a cross clear. Then Tierney rattles in to Modric, winning the ball and bowling over the midfielder to stop a counter-attack. That’s the stuff!
42 min: The goal originated in a snappy move down the right by Armstrong and O’Donnell. Nothing came from the cross but when the ball was turned back in from the other side, Lovren cleared it as far as McGregor, who took a touch and t hen drilled a rasping low shot into the net from 18 yards! That’s Scotland’s first goal of the tournament and it revives their campaign!
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GOAL! Scotland 1-1 Croatia (McGregor 42)
Game back on!
40 min: Perisic is causing havoc down the left. For his latest trick, he scampers forward and then twists and turns his way inside before cracking a shot over the bar from 15 yards.
38 min: Juranovic sends a wobbly shot high and wide from 20 yards after a dangerous Croatian attack.
37 min: Croatia play their way forward patiently. But their move founders when it reaches the edge of the Scottish box. McKenna wellies the ball clear. But Croatia win it back and resume their possession-play.
34 min: Ahem. McKenna is booked before even touching the ball. He tried to get to it before Petkovic but missed and caught the striker instead.
33 min: Hanley cant continue. He limps off to be replaced by McKenna
32 min: Tierney sticks the ball out of play so that Hanley can receive attention to a leg injury.
29 min: Scotland have their danders up again but there’s still more bluster than precision when they get into the box.
27 min: Lovren booked for clattering Adams after the striker nicked the ball off him. Lovren will be suspended for the Last 16 if Croatia get there. Scotland, meanwhile, have a freekick in a useful position wide on the left. Armstrong swings it into the area. McTominay gets his noggin to it but it’s another straight-forward save for Livakovic.
24 min: Scotland are revolting! They sweep forward in style before McGinn lifts a pass towards the back post, where both Dykes and Adams lunges at it but can’t turn it into the net. Moments later Scotland are in the Croatian box again, and McGinn sends a header bouncing towards goal. But the keeper makes a simple save. “Here in Finland, this game is on the channel YLE 2, the equivalent to BBC 2, while the other match can only be streamed online,” chimes in Kári Tulinius. “The reason for that choice is that the two sides draw, the ludicrously remote chances that Finland progress as the 4th best 3rd place team, become slightly less remote. So all of Finland is now rooting for Scotland to equalise.”
22 min: Modric has a blast from 20 yards. Marshall waves it at it on its way over the bar.
21 min: Croatia are keeping the ball very well, making Scotland scamper hither and thither fruitlessly. “That was a soft goal,” sniffs Tom Robertson. “Now to go and chase the game. Never mind the original game plan. Win in style. Loose in style. But don’t have regrets.” You tell ‘em, Tom.
19 min: Croatia are in the groove now. They’re going for the kill. McDonnell does well to stop Perisic from cutting the ball back from the byline, then he whacks it out for a throw-in.
17 min: It was a simple, devastating goal. A cross came in from the right, Perisic leapt high to meet it and nod it back into the path of Vlasic. Despite pressure from McTominay, McGregor and Hanley, the striker controlled it and lashed a low shot into the net from 10 yards.
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GOAL! Scotland 0-1 Croatia (Vlasic 17)
Oh dear.
16 min: Marshall tears out of his box to go a-slidin’ for the ball, taking it off the feet of Vlasic, who would have been clean through if he’d been allowed to collect the pass in peace.
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15 min: McGinn feeds Adams at the edge of the Croatian box. Robertson is roaring forward in space on the left but Adams doesn’t see him. Instead he goes right to O’Donnell, whose first-time cross floats into the keeper’s arms.
12 min: A spell of neat passing by Croatia is brought to an end by McGinn, who wins back possession deep in his own half.
10 min: Marshall punts the ball downfield. Dykes flicks it on. Adams latches on to it and tries a curler from 25 yards. It bounces a yard wide of the post.
8 min: Well played Hanley. He kept pace with Perisic as the forward loped down the right wing, then he put his boot in and prodded the ball off the Croatia and out for a Scottish throw-in.
6 min: Dinky interplay down the left by Scotland. Then McGinn turns on to his right foot and clips a beautiful cross towards the back past. Adams darts away from the defender and tries to poke it into the net from five yards .... but just fails to connect with it! Agonised looks all around Hampden!
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5 min: Croatia are trying to show they will not be dictated to. When they get the ball they pop it about at their leisure, trying to sap Scottish vim.
3 min: Scotland are hurtling around like billy-o, determined not to let Croatia settle. But Modric has already shown some ominous touches. “I’m watching the Scotland game here on Spanish TV,” reveals Paulo Biriani. “On a channel called Be Mad. Honestly, not making it up. Not sure what to read into that.”
2 min: The second corner is a tester. Livakovic rises to the challenge and punches it clear under pressure.
1 min: Robertson’s in-swinger is cleared at the near post, out for another corner.
1 min: Scotland win a corner after 21 seconds, eliciting a lusty cheer from the crowd...
1 min: Scotland-Croatia is go!
Well, Scotland won the song contest hands down. Now it’s time to play ...
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack .... here come the players ...
“I feel strangely calm tonight,” muses Simon McMahon. “Maybe it’s because, being of a certain vintage, I’ve seen it all before. Or it could be due to the fact that I’m heavily sedated. Whatever the reason, good luck to both teams. Ach, who am I kidding? COME ON SCOTLAND!!! LET’S BOOGIE!!!” That’s the spirit. And by the way, you haven’t seen it all before. Haven’t we mentioned that today could be HISTORIC?
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A quarter-full stadium has never sounded louder, and there’s still over 20 minutes to go till kickoff. The Scottish players are sure to get an energy boost from the noise, and that could be critical, since Scotland’s ability to sustain a high tempo against an artful but somewhat ponderous side could be what takes them to glory ....
Steve Clarke speaks
Explaining his team selection, he says: “After the performance of the players the other night they deserved a chance to go again. The only big decision I had was whether to leave Scott McTominay in defence or put him back again but it was quite an easy decision” As for the match, he says: “I think the start could be a bit cagey but I’ve been wrong before. The crowd have a big part to play tonight. We need them from the first minute to the last .. We’re ready to send everybody home with a smile on their faces tonight.”
Choose optimism. “Here are my pre-pub predictions in order of most to least likely,” announces James Humphries. “A. Scotland 0-2 Croatia, in roughly similar style to the Scotland-Czech game. B. Scotland 0-1 Croatia, with us hammering them all game and then conceding a gut-punch in the 80-somethingth minute. C. Scotland N-N Croatia, where N is any score. Bonus points if combined with the above, so that we’re ahead and then concede. D. Scotland 2-1 Croatia, and then the entire squad tests positive for Covid. I honestly don’t know which I’d prefer. Here’s hoping hopping from foot to foot for a couple hours.”
John McGinn revs it up
Speaking to ITV, the Aston Villa man says: “We know what we want: three points to make history. It’s not going to be easy, we’ve watched a lot of clips of Croatia in the last couple of games and they’re a good team despite some of the criticism they’ve had. [What we have to do is] Just play with the same belief and determination as the other day at Wembley. We played with bravery, commitment and quality. If we do that again, we’ve got every chance.”
“So both teams need a win and a draw is utterly useless to either,” notes Robin Hazlehurst. “Given Scotland’s record of glorious failure in such events, has there ever been a game in history that has been more obviously nailed on to be remembered for the words ‘Last Minute Equaliser’?” I can’t shake the feeling that this tournament has been building up to one godawful VAR outrage ...
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There are 12,000 fans in Hampden Park and they’re already making a mighty din. And they’re not alone, many a reader of this here mbm is in the mood to boogie. Check out what Matt Shankly, for instance, is about to put on. And fetch to me a pint ‘o wine!
And an 80 year old Tam to add later pic.twitter.com/snUr5R2TZj
— M. Shankly. W 🏴🇪🇺 (@MattShankly) June 22, 2021
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Before anyone writes in accusing me of making a typo, let me stress that today’s referee really is from Argentina. He’s the first South American to officiate and a European Championship match, and it’s all part of an exchange programme between Uefa and Conmebol.
Teams
Behold! As expected, Steve Clarke has made only one alteration to the side that started at Wembley, with Stuart Armstrong replacing the unfortunate Gilmour. Croatia have made four alterations to their lineup following the draw with the Czechs. They’ve decided the left-hand side needed work, so Juranović has come in at left-back while Vlašić will play in front of him. Petković will serve as a lone striker, and Brozovic returns to midfield.
Scotland: Marshall; McTominay, Hanley, Tierney; O’Donnell, Armstrong, McGinn, McGregor, Robertson; Adams, Dykes
Subs: Gordon, McLaughlin, Christie, Fleck, Gallagher, Cooper, Turnbull, Nisbet, Fraser, Patterson, Forrest, McKenna
Croatia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Vida, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Brozovic; Perisic, Modric, Vlasic; Petkovic
Subs: Kalinic, Sluga, Vrsaljko, Barisic, Caleta-Car, Brekalo, Kramiric, BUdimir, Pasalic, Rebic, Badelj, Ivanusec
Referee: Fernando Rapallini (Argentina)
Given all the talk of history today, it would be remiss not to mention that in five previous attempts, Croatia have never managed to beat Scotland. There have been three draws between the nations. The other two meetings ended in wins for Scotland, and they both came in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup ... for which Croatia qualified and Scotland didn’t. Come on, Scotland, let’s have no more of that sort of carry on.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to what could be the greatest day in the history of Scotland. Yes, that’s about the size of it. Never before has the country made it to the knockout stages of a major tournament, not even in the days of Dennis Law, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness or Stephen Glass. But today they could take that unprecedented step: all they have to do is beat the team that finished runners-up at the last World Cup. Oh, and they have to do it without Billy Gilmour, the outstanding performer in Friday’s 0-0 drubbing of England. The Covid-related loss of Gilmour has eroded a little of the optimism spawned by the display at Wembley but Scotland have home advantage and know they have the potential to get the win they need against Croatia if, that is, someone can actually put the ball in the net. Croatia need victory just as badly so this is going to be emotional, relentless and quite possibly historic. Let’s be having you!
